UN Threatens to List Great Barrier Reef as Endangered

By Andrea Thompson |
May 8, 2013 02:59pm ET

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Satellite image shows islands of the Great Barrier Reef.

Credit: NASA/Landsat 7

Ahead of the meeting of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) World Heritage Committee in Cambodia next month, the UN has warned the governments of Australia and Queensland state that the Great Barrier Reef could be added to the List of World Heritage in Danger, if certain actions and plans aren't put in place by those governments, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Government representatives are not happy about the possibility and are working to prevent the listing. "Australia would be the only developed country in the world to have a world heritage site on [the] endangered list. It would be a huge international embarrassment and it would be a big blow to our tourism industry," Queensland Greens Senator Larissa Waters said, as quoted by the Morning Herald.

Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke said the report published by the UN didn't take into account several government initiatives and that Australia was working with the World Heritage Committee to ensure the protection of the reef.

The UNESCO World Heritage List is a group of 962 spots that have particular cultural or natural value. A list of those sites considered to be endangered by armed conflict, natural disasters and development is also kept to draw attention to their plight.

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Andrea graduated from Georgia Tech with a B.S. in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences in 2004 and a Master's in the same subject in 2006. She attended the Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program at New York University and graduated with a Master of Arts in 2006.